A section of Wakehurst Parkway will be widened to four lanes to reduce traffic congestion in the area and make it safer for motorists.
Read: Developer Proposes Rapid Assessment Of New Mental Health Facility In Frenchs Forest
Wakehurst Parkway, one of the most complained-about roads across the northern beaches, has witnessed a number of accidents and mishaps. Back in 2021, a serious collision in the area left two people seriously injured.
The $75-m road widening project will see the Parkway widened, in both directions, between the intersection with Dreadnought Rd at Oxford Falls, then south through the busy intersection with Warringah Rd to pass the intersection with Aquatic Dr at Frenchs Forest.Reducing Flood at Oxford Falls
After being presented with a flood mitigation feasibility study for Wakehurst Parkway, Council is now considering the next step for the project which involves progressing with detailed design and environmental assessments for reducing flooding at the Oxford Falls and Oxford Falls Road west sites.
This comes after Northern Beaches Council voted on 22 March 2022 to proceed with the detailed design and environmental assessments for the Oxford Falls site with a view to designs being completed by mid-2022 which will then allow construction to commence.
The Parkway north of Warringah Road is prone to flooding in certain areas and has historically experienced frequent road closures as a result. At present, this is up to six to seven times per year on average.
In the wake of March 2022 flooding, Oxford falls Road is closed between the Wakehurst Parkway and Aroona Road due to flooding.
Initially, Wakehurst Parkway was deemed “not a priority,” with the mayor himself highlighting that it is a state road. He also added that the only way to permanently stop this road from flooding is to raise the road.
Community consultations revealed that while there is support for flood mitigation works, views diverged on the preferred method and the acceptability of the environmental impact.
“There is no doubt that Wakehurst Parkway closures are frustrating to motorists and we’d all like to see the flood issues fixed,” Mayor Regan said.
“While a quick solution would be great, in the case of Wakehurst Parkway there is a lot of detail to consider along with environmental regulations and site constraints and multiple land ownership.”
Both federal and state funding will be used for the Wakehurst Parkway road widening project.